The Last Days of the Warrior
by Vegetasgirl01
Summary: A "what if" story. Just slightly OOC because GT didn't happen and their lives went a different way. Different than my other pieces,has a bit more serious tone. Goku is about to leave this world forever. How will Gohan and the others handle their loss?
1. Chapter 1

**This story is a little different that the others I've written. First, this is a "what if" story as in, what if GT never happened and what if Saiyans don't live to be around 125 to 130 years old, they aged the same way humans do. Secondly, I didn't write this piece for fun, but rather as a form of therapy. I started writing this just after my father-in-law passed away and it really helped immensely in my grieving process. It was a way that I could celebrate his life and say good bye in a good way.**

**So, this is as if GT never happened and all the Z Fighters have gotten older. ****Some have grandchildren, some have settled in due to many years of peace and some have already moved on to Otherworld. I apologize before hand if some of them seem OOC, but remeber they have grown up a bit differently and have had different influenses on them that they would have had Goku gone off to train Uub and then been turned into a child. Instead he stayed home and his presence altered things somewhat. Not exactly alt-universe style, just a little differently. In this time of peace, family became more important than anything. **

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**The Last Days of the Warrior**

**1**

The day was as it should be. The warm sun shone in the bright blue sky and the songs of the birds were trying to compete with the noise and laughter of the children playing in the field outside the tiny white house. A warm breeze blew through the window and made the white curtains billow into the room. He smiled slightly, lying on the cool cotton sheets, knowing that soon the day would be absolutely perfect. Just as soon as Gohan arrived.

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Gohan walked up the stone path towards the house. The warm sun shone on his face and the scent of the trees filled his nostrils. 'It's good to be home again', he thought. He had been away for a long time. Teaching at the university had taken much of his time. His schedule made it very difficult to get away. He did manage to spend as much time as possible with Videl and his daughter Pan, who had grown into a beautiful young woman before he knew it. Unfortunately, the thing he had the least time for was his training. He hadn't trained as much as he would have liked to, but he was devoted to his family first and then his work in that order.

He hurried to the house because he knew they would all be waiting for his arrival. The last time all of them had been together like this was ten years ago when his mother, Chi-Chi passed away. She was the binding force in the family and had kept them firmly grounded their whole life. Gohan missed her terribly, but he also knew he would see her again someday. However, right now his only thoughts were of his father who was about to see his beloved wife again. Goku was dying.

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"Is it time yet King Kai?" she asked in a very quiet voice. The tiny woman that stood beside him, clasped her hands in front of her and waited patiently for the answer. She was wearing his favorite purple dress and her snow white hair was tied up in a tiny bun. Her eyes were calm and quiet and the lines around them seemed deeper that usual.

"Not yet Chi-Chi," replied King Kai, "these things take time. Besides, Gohan isn't there yet. You know he will want to see him first."

"My little Gohan," she said wistfully.

"He's not so little anymore!" corrected King Kai. "And that Goten of yours has turned into a fine young man too, that is when he stays out of trouble."

Chi-Chi smiled and stood next to King Kai waiting patiently.

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**This being a bit short and in the way of an intro, I have posted Chapter 2 as well. Please read on and enjoy.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Gohan is home and is about to be welcomed by his friends and family. Well, they're all family really. I've chosen the English spellings for names and as I said, if the characters seem odd or OOC, they really aren't to much for this situation I think. **

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**2**

Gohan entered the house and almost everyone who was going to be there had arrived. There would be a couple of exceptions though. Master Roshi had made his trip to Snake Way years ago. He refused to tell anyone how old he was up until the day he died, they could only guess. Krillin followed him a few years ago, but he was lucky enough to see Marron's two little ones born and enjoy his grandchildren for a few years before he went on his final journey.

A small herd of children ran past him out the door as Gohan entered, giggling and shouting as they went. They were Marron's two along with Goten's daughter and three of Bra's. Gohan thought that if Vegeta's grandchildren were anything like Trunks and Bra were growing up, that household must be a complete nightmare!

"Gohan, your here!" Bra practically shouted. She ran to him and took his hand. "I'm so glad your here. Your father has been looking forward to seeing you. Come in, come in." She pulled him into the living room where everyone had gathered. "My mother and father will be here shortly," she said, " Oh, and I'm sorry about the children, but your father insisted that they run free and play. He said that this is not a day for sadness. Oh, they love their Grandpa Goku so much."

Gohan put his arm around her as tears came to her eyes and said, "He's right."

Bra nodded and turned to go to the kitchen. Gohan went to say hello to everyone else. Yamcha was the first to shake Gohan's hand and next was Tien with Chiaotzu at his side. The little emperor smiled up at Gohan and then lightly pushed off the ground with his right toe, floating up to Gohan's eye level.

"I'm glad to see you again," he said, "Dende sends his regards." Chiaotzu then bowed deeply to show his respect. Gohan returned the bow and said, "Thank-you, Chiaotzu."

As Gohan stood up straight, his eyes met with Trunks. Trunks' handshake was accompanied by a firm hug. If Gohan had not been a saiyan, he might have crushed the breath out of him. It was very apparent that Trunks had been training hard since he had seen him last. It was a bit like hugging a stone wall.

When Trunks stepped aside, there stood Piccolo. Gohan smiled slightly and simply said, "Piccolo...". He was looking into the old Namek's eyes and suddenly he remembered a time when he couldn't see much of him except his green kneecaps and the bottom of his chin. Gohan silently wished he could go back to those days, but knew he couldn't. Life was so different then. The old Namek smiled back as if he were suddenly sharing the same thought, except he remembered looking down at an unruly mop of black hair and eyes so big with awe and wonder that they melted his heart every time he looked into them. Just like they were doing now.

Yamcha interrupted the moment by volunteering, "Goten is upstairs with your father. We've all be taking turns spending time with him when he feels up to it."

"Thanks, Yamcha." said Gohan, "I think I'll go up and see him now."

At that moment Goten came bounding down the stairs. "Hi, Gohan! Dads been waiting for you," said Goten. Gohan was startled for a moment, because at first glance, he could have sworn it was Goku coming down those stairs as he had done so many mornings like this one. He almost thought he heard "Chi-Chi, what's for breakfast?" too. He shook his head and came back to the present.

"Goten! How is my pain-in-the-neck brother?" he asked.

"Never better," Goten replied. "Dad sent me down to get you. He knew the minute you walked in the door."

"That sounds like Dad. Always one step ahead of us," said Gohan.

"Never could get away with anything when we were kids," said Goten.

"That would be you, bro!" sniped Gohan.

"Ha Ha! Very funny!" replied his brother as the sound of laughter filled the room.

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"Is it time yet?" asked Chi-Chi, "Is it time?" This time there was a slight sound of urgency in her voice.

"Soon Chi-Chi, soon," said King Kai. He adjusted his antennae and seemed to be concentrating very hard on the goings on below. "Eh? Ah! They're all there now. Even Gohan. Videl and Pan just arrived and so have Bulma and Vegeta. Shouldn't be too long now, but you've got to remember, Goku never does anything until he's good and ready, never did," King Kai mused. As King Kai kept his vigil, he didn't notice what was happening behind him. Chi-Chi's eyes seemed much brighter now and the lines in her face had all but disappeared. It seemed that her hair that was once as white as the snow had begun to darken. Her hands that had been clasped in front of her in such a respectful manner, were now clasped to her heart as if to keep it from jumping out of her chest.

"Oh, please tell me what's going on down there!" she begged. King Kai ignored her request and just stared off into the nothingness as if he had fallen asleep standing up somehow. "Hey! I said what's going on!" Chi-Chi nearly yelled at the apparently sleeping Kai.

"What! What?!" King Kai jumped. "Oh! Have patience my dear. I will let you know if anything important happens."

Chi-Chi's face suddenly scrunched up in a very familiar way as she thought, 'Patience? I'll show you patience old man!'

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**Sounds like King Kai is going to have a tough time with the missus. Chi-chi and patience are two words you would never hear in the same sentence unles to say she has none! LoL!! Reviews are very welcome. Thanks.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Gohan is finally going to see his father after being away for many years...**

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**3**

Gohan stood in the doorway of his fathers room. Goku seemed to be sleeping at the moment, so he tiptoed quietly into the room and knelt down beside the futon his father was sleeping on. Gohan stared at his father, taking in every line in his face, every bulge of muscle on his arms and shoulders, as if to burn the image of his father into his mind so he would never forget him. Goku hadn't outwardly changed much despite the many years he had lived. He was still a big man whose muscles looked as if they had slightly outgrown the skin that covered them, but his great main of black hair was now lightly streaked with gray. The lines around his eyes betrayed the fact he had lived a long life. Most of it was pleasant, some not so. His body inside however, was a complete train-wreck. The broken ribs, twisted knees and elbows, and his spine cracked in too many places to count. He never did show the pain though, he had only slowed down in the past few years. All of his battles now were verbal ones with Vegeta about whose turn it is to have the other one over for dinner and where to plant the new rose bushes in the garden. These usually ended with Vegeta turning his back on Goku and mumbling "Idiot!" under his breath. However, Goku's hearing was still good, so he would always yell "I heard that!" and Vegeta would snicker to himself because he had managed to irritate Kakarot once again.

"Hi, son," said Goku quietly. Gohan jumped slightly because up until that moment, he had been lost in his memories of his father.

"Otousan!" said Gohan and he bowed in his kneeling position until his forehead nearly touched the floor.

"Gohan, stop that," chided Goku, "sit up and talk to your old man!"

"Sorry Dad," replied Gohan sheepishly.

"I'm glad your here, son," said Goku, "How have you been?"

"Fine, I..." Gohan hung his head slightly, "I'm sorry that I haven't come to see you more often. I've..."

"Gohan, stop feeling guilty now," said his father, "Your a very busy man; and besides, I've had plenty to keep me busy as well. Somebody has to look after the grandchildren you know. Vegeta and I have started their training and I think a couple of them have promise. Oh, and I also have the garden in the back."

"Garden?" asked Gohan, tilting his head slightly and looking surprised.

"Why, yes," replied Goku, "I started it just after Krillin died. Marron said that some people planted flowers or trees to remember someone they cared about. So one day while I was out, I saw this rose bush, a red one. For some reason it reminded me of your mother. So I brought it home. The next thing you know I had a pink one for Krillin and a yellow one for Master Roshi. Now I'm up to my neck in rose bushes."

Gohan smiled. He just couldn't imagine his dad planting flowers. It definitely brought a strange picture into his mind.

"Oh, and you'll never guess whose been helping me out with it either," said Goku, "It's the least likely person you could imagine."

Gohan quickly ran down the list of people they knew in his mind and couldn't come up with a name...wait!? He looked at his father with a surprised expression.

"Yeah, that's right, Vegeta!" Goku laughed, "One day he came by to see if I was ready to start another training session with the kids and found me in the back yard."

"Your kidding!" replied Gohan. This brought an even stranger picture to mind.

"No, not at all," said Goku, still laughing. "At first, he thought I had lost my mind because I was down on my knees, covered in dirt, but after I explained what I was doing, he said that he was sure I had gone crazy. Before I knew it, he was coming over every day and critiquing my work."

"Sounds like Vegeta. Like he knows anything about roses," sniped Gohan.

"That was my thought exactly at the time," replied Goku, "and I also thought he might be using it as an excuse to get out of the house for awhile. However, that wasn't the truth at all. Turns out he's pretty good at it and as things always turn out the way you least expect them to, he and I have become best friends. Although, he would never admit that to anyone."

Gohan chewed on this new piece of information for a few moments and said, "Well if there's one thing I've learned growing up as your son, it's that the strangest things can happen when you least expect it."

"I've always believed that people can change if you give them a chance," Goku sighed deeply. He suddenly seemed very tired. He reached out and held his son's hand, "Stay with me while I sleep," sighed Goku, "and when I wake up you can tell me all about your work at the university."

"Yes, father," said Gohan quietly.

The light had begun to fade outside. The western sky had turned a deep pink and the crickets had replaced the bird's song. The breeze through the white curtained window had turned cool and the whole world seemed to be at peace.

**Sorry if the characters seem a bit off, but they have changed a bit as they have grown older. I've tried to show they've settled in a bit just as real people would do. Please read and review. Your comments are greatly appreciated.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Some good news and happy memories.**

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4

A short time later, Goku had awakened and was listening to Gohan tell all about his life at the university, how happy he was at home, and one little detail that he was intending to tell his father shortly but, didn't have the chance to. It seems that Pan was expecting her first child and soon everyone would be calling him "Grandpa Gohan" He expressed the fact he wasn't sure he was ready for that but, his father said he was very pleased and that he thought he would do just fine.

About that time, Videl and Pan came upstairs carrying trays holding all types of plates and bowls. It was time for the evening meal and Gohan was so wrapped up in talking to his father that he had forgotten how late is was.

"Hello, dad," said Videl, "We've brought you something to eat."

"It smells wonderful," said Goku.

"We didn't know what you would like, so we made some of everything," chirped Pan, "I hope you like it."

As soon as they sat the trays down, Goku began to plow his way through each of the dishes in fine Saiyan tradition, with chopsticks flying. He certainly didn't look like a man on his deathbed at that moment.

"Well, I guess nothing interferes with your father's appetite, huh?" asked Videl.

"I guess not," replied Gohan, scratching the back of his head.

"Why don't you go downstairs and eat with the others," said Videl, "We'll stay with dad and visit with him for awhile."

As Gohan was going down the stairs to join the others in the kitchen for dinner, he thought about how surreal this whole thing was. His father had gone away before, but he always came back at just the right moment. This time it was for keeps and he wasn't sure he could stand that thought. It was at that moment he heard Pan say "...and if its a boy we'll call him Goku after you grandfather!". He heard his father's laughter fill the room and he then knew that as long as the Son family continued, his father would always be with them. Goku's spirit would always be inside their hearts.

Gohan entered the kitchen, greeted by the sounds of lively conversation and dishes rattling. Marron and 18 were feeding the kids at a small separate table.

"Remember what grandfather always says," said 18 with a smile, "a Saiyan always eats everything put on his plate."

"That goes for you, too," added Marron, directing the comment at her two.

The children returned a chorus of "Yes, Ma'ams" and "No Problem" as they quickly cleaned their plates. Gohan couldn't help thinking that was one rule they would never have trouble following.

All the others were gathered around the table, except Chiaotzu, who really didn't need a chair. He just floated cross-legged to the right of Tien. Bra literally floated around the room herself, clearing away empty plates and bowls and replacing them with full ones. Gohan took one look at the way his brother and Vegeta were attacking the food and thought he had better get started. He had a lot of lost ground to make up. After all, Sayians do have a competitive streak and he was ready to take them on. Gohan reached out to grab the last turkey drumstick on the plate directly in front of him, when Vegeta's hand shot forward too. Unfortunately for Vegeta, so did Bulma's.

"Share!" she snapped, slapping the back of her husband's hand with a resounding smack. He quickly withdrew his hand, grunted in Bulma's direction and went searching for another plate.

After dinner, Marron and 18 put the children to bed and Pan and Videl came downstairs with the trays.

"Grandfather is sleeping now," said Pan.

"The girls and I will check on him throughout the night," said Videl, "in case he needs anything."

As they all sat around the table having tea, it suddenly became very quiet in the room. It almost felt like an awkward moment among strangers. Most of the group sat staring into space. Yamcha had his head hanging down, studying his shoes and Trunks was staring so intently into his teacup you would have thought he was waiting for some psychic message to appear in the tea leaves floating in the bottom.

Gohan thought he had better do something before someone started to cry and the whole group went to pieces. That would not please his father and it wouldn't make him comfortable either. The one thing that Goku didn't want was for anyone to be sad about his passing. He had lived a long and happy life, full of adventures. He wanted them to be happy, to know that the next place he was going was full of adventure too. There were lots of things he didn't get to do the last time he was there and he would be seeing his wife and his friends again.

Gohan noticed that Bulma's eyes had turned red around the edges and were about to fill with tears. She had known Goku the longest and the silence was beginning to wear on her. Gohan suddenly broke that silence by asking a question.

"Bulma, tell me again how you met my father?" he asked.

The question had the same effect on the room as dropping a book ,flat on the floor, in a library. It quickly got everyone's attention.

"Well, um..." began Bulma, "well, I almost ran him over with my car, actually. At the time, he thought it was some kind of monster and was ready to fight with it. You should have seen the look on his face when he first saw me." The tears in her eyes were replaced with a smile and then she started to giggle. "He was so cute. He was little, but very strong for his age and he would say just exactly what he thinking too. Sometimes, it was a little embarrassing." She was laughing now, thinking about all the things they had done together as kids. The rest of the group had begun to lighten up too.

Piccolo then spoke up, "I remember when I first met you father. I hated him on sight but, after we battled, I found him to be a great warrior with a strong heart. I have come to respect him greatly."

"He may have been a 'cute kid' and a 'great warrior', but he still doesn't know a damn thing about rose bushes," sniped Vegeta. The whole room burst into laughter and a sly smile played across Vegeta's face. He didn't make jokes very often, but when he did he relished the moment.

And there they all sat, laughing and trading stories. Bra made a fresh pot of tea and passed it around. They sat and talked late into the night of great adventures; and battles won and lost. How one man had touched their lives so greatly. What they didn't realize was Goku had been listening from upstairs. The laughter and happiness he was hearing down there was making him feel quite content. As he drifted back to sleep, with a wide smile on his face, he thought that today was as it should be. The day was perfect and getting more perfect by the minute. Soon it would be time to go, soon...soon...

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**I hope my readers like this story and I hope it isn't too sad to read. Don't worry, there will be some lighter moments later on. I promise. Please leave reviews. I would love to hear from you about what you think. Thanks.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Seems the grandkids are about to run afoul of Piccolo. **

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**5**

Gohan woke up the next morning on the floor next to the couch. He hadn't gotten a lot of sleep because they had all been up most of the night talking. He suddenly realized he was having some trouble moving and when his eyes began to focus a bit, he saw that Yamcha was sleeping above him on the couch and somehow his foot has slipped off the edge. It was now firmly planted under Gohan's chin. He gingerly removed the foot and got up, rubbing the tread mark on his chin that the shoe had left behind. Yamcha was the only one still sleeping. The rest had wandered back to the kitchen for breakfast.

As he passed the front door, Gohan noticed that Piccolo was in the front yard trying desperately to take his morning meditation. It wasn't working out very well though, because the kids had decided to play a game of tag and were running underneath him as he floated cross-legged under a tree. Apparently, the tree was also home base as well. A game of "Saiyan tag" is really an amazing thing to watch because the person who is "it" fires a small ki charge from the end of their finger in an attempt to tag their opponent. Piccolo had to duck a couple of shots from Chibi Vegeta and he was beginning to think he was doing it on purpose. As the third shot whizzed past his head, Piccolo thought, 'I'll fix this quick enough!'. At that moment he stood up to his full height and let out a load roar at the children. They ran, screaming, around the corner of the house. Piccolo chuckled to himself and he settled back into his meditation stance, as six tiny, little faces peered around the corner of the house.

"I guess mom was right when she said we shouldn't mess with Mr. Piccolo," said Chibi Vegeta.

"No kidding, brainiac!" sniped Gochi, Goten's daughter. And she pushed Chibi Vegeta back around the side of the house by firmly planting the palm of her hand in the middle of his face.

The kids thought it might be safer to play in the side yard, at least until Mr. Piccolo went back in the house.

Gohan laughed to himself and walked to the kitchen shaking his head. He knew Piccolo would never hurt the children, but he hoped they wouldn't figure that out too soon, at least for Piccolo's sake. If they found out he had a soft spot for kids, well, he could just imagine what they would put the poor guy through.

"Hey guys, what's going on?" asked Gohan as he entered the kitchen. He was greeted with a chorus of "good mornings" from the group.

"Good morning, Gohan," said Videl, as she kissed her husband on the cheek. She had set a place for him at the table and breakfast had a wonderful smell. "Bulma is upstairs with father. She brought up his breakfast tray. He seems to be feeling quite well this morning."

"Thank-you," said Gohan. "You know, we have such wonderful friends. We've always supported each other so much through the years. I don't know what we would have done without them." Videl agreed with him.

Goten also nodded in agreement, "Yeah, you guys are pretty cool."

"Thanks," said Trunks, speaking for the whole group, "We kinda like you too." Everyone laughed.

Videl was clearing away his breakfast dishes when Bulma came down the stairs. As she sat the tray down on the counter, they expected to see empty plates and bowls stacked up. To their surprise, nothing on the tray had been touched. The tray looked the same way it did when she had brought it upstairs. Gohan and Videl both stared at Bulma looking for an answer, but none came. She had a slightly vacant look in her eyes. She swallowed hard and said, "Where's Vegeta? Goku wants to see him now." She wondered off, slightly dazed, to look for him.

Gohan sat down in the kitchen chair and stared at his shoes. He knew this was coming, but he couldn't help thinking it was too soon. "Not now," he thought, "not now. It's too soon...too soon..."

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**Time is growing short and Vegeta must now say goodbye. How will he handle it? Thanks for the reviews. I appreciate it a lot. **


	6. Chapter 6

**Vegeta must now say goodbye to Goku. How will he handle it? **

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**6**

Bulma found Vegeta in the back yard rose garden. He was standing there with his arms crossed, completely still, staring intently at the roses as if he expected someone to jump out and attack him at any moment. Bulma came up behind him quietly; put her hand on his shoulder, and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"Goku wants to see you now," she said softly. She felt his shoulders relax slightly and then he took a deep breath. He suddenly stood up straighter than she had ever seen him stand before. His muscles tightened fiercely and his hands dropped to his sides in clenched fists. Even in battle she had never seen him this tense. Bulma backed away. She was afraid he was about to power up and fly off somewhere. Vegeta was never very good at facing personal pain or disappointment especially when it came to Goku. He would always go off somewhere and let the rage seethe inside him until he was good and ready to let it go. Only then would he return, ready to face the challenge before him. But this time there was something different, something she couldn't quite put her finger on. Then she saw the slight movement that told her all she needed to know. Vegeta's knees were shaking. It was as if he was trying to hold himself together in one piece, so he didn't fly apart at the seams. "Vegeta?..." she said softly as she started to move toward him. Then he just turned toward the house and walked away, leaving Bulma standing there alone.

Vegeta came through the door with a determined look in his eye. His jaw was clenched and his hands were still clenched tightly. Inside though, he was a complete mess. His legs felt like rubber and his stomach felt like a rumbling mass of jelly. He was almost sure he was going to be sick at any minute. By now, most of the group was in the living room and they watched as he strode passed them like a man on a mission. He then headed quickly up the stairs, but he only made it half way up and then stopped. He reached out for the handrail and leaned against it. Vegeta's posture collapsed, his knees bent, and his head and shoulders slumped. He could go no further. He closed his eyes to try and collect himself, when a single glistening tear rolled down his cheek. He quickly wiped it away so no one would see.

"Damn you, Kakarot!" he said under his breath. He then inhaled deeply and his spine straightened as he came up to his full height. He continued up the stairs, a little more slowly this time, to see his friend one last time.

--

Vegeta had been upstairs with Goku most of the morning. The rest of the group spent the time sitting around in the living room talking quietly among themselves. Their conversation was constantly interrupted by the sounds coming from upstairs. They could hear that the conversation up there had somewhat taken on the tone of an argument in progress. Then the real shouting started, as Goku and Vegeta took turns hurling insults at one another. The group could clearly hear the words, "Idiot!", "Jerk!", "Fool!", and "Why do you have to be so pig-headed!" coming at periodic intervals between long volleys of yelling at a lower volume. Trunks looked at Gohan and winced. He gave him a look that seemed to say he was sorry that his father had chosen this particular moment to be such a pain. Gohan smiled at him to let him know it was okay and that he understood.

"Sounds as if those two are engaged in their final battle up there," said Piccolo with a slight smile on his face.

"There are some things that never change," sighed Bulma.

Chiaotzu suddenly got a worried look on his face. "If I even hear the first two syllables of the word Kamehamaha, I'm out of here!" he said. This made everyone laugh.

"Don't worry Chiaotzu, I don't think Goku has the strength right now," Yamcha reassured him. "Although knowing Goku, he would find it if he had to." This time he didn't sound so reassuring.

Suddenly there was dead silence upstairs. Everyone stopped talking and looked toward the stairway. The silence lasted for only a few moments and then Vegeta shouted, "No!, You wouldn't!, Wait!!, STOP!!", in tones that grew increasingly louder with each word. A small explosion with heard from upstairs and everyone gasped at the sound. "Damn!", yelled Vegeta. Gohan jumped up and headed for the stairs, but he stopped as a new sound was heard from up there. It was the sound of Vegeta laughing.

Gohan turned around and looked back at everyone. They all had a bewildered look on their faces. Then they heard Vegeta say between the gales of laughter, "You old fool! You've totally missed me and destroyed the chest of drawers!" Gohan put his hand over his face and hung his head in embarrassment while the rest of the room let out a groan of relief.

Meanwhile, upstairs Vegeta was rolling around on the floor holding his sides in laughter. He was laughing so hard he couldn't get up, so he crawled across the floor to the side of Goku's bed.

"I'm sorry," said Goku sheepishly, "I guess I got a little carried away."

"I wouldn't have expected any less from you, Kakarot," said Vegeta, as his laughter subsided and he began to catch his breath. "I'm going to miss you, you old fool."

"I'm going to miss you more," sniped Goku.

"Oh please, don't start this up again," chided Vegeta, "We're both much too old for this sort of thing and it's wearing me out."

Vegeta leaned back against the bed and crossed his arms. His usual frown appeared and his face seemed set in stone. Goku put his hand on Vegeta's shoulder.

"You know you've become my closest friend, right?" asked Goku.

Vegeta placed his hand over Goku's and said, "Yes, I know and you will always be mine." After a moment Vegeta turned around onto his knees, he buried his fists into the mattress, and the look in his eye was a cross between anger and pleading. "Why!? Why do you have to do this now?" cried Vegeta. "Why couldn't you have waited a little longer? Maybe we can summon the dragon and ask for immortality for both of us. Yes! That's it, the dragon! Then we could both go on fighting forever. You've always been my most worthy opponent. Please, Kakarot!?" Vegeta knew he would never agree, but he had to at least try.

"My goodness, no," replied Goku, "I wouldn't want that! Being immortal carries too much responsibility and I've already fought enough battles and have had enough responsibility protecting the earth in my lifetime. Our children have taken our place now and soon the third generation of Saiyans will be ready to take their rightful place. Please, Vegeta promise me that you will a least try to put up with Piccolo long enough to train the grandchildren?"

Vegeta nodded his head and whispered "Yes" in a raspy voice, but the word caught in his throat. Tears began to run down his cheeks. He tried to stop them, but knew he couldn't. Just as he knew he couldn't stop what was going to happen. Then he buried his face in the mattress and wept. Goku placed his hand gently on Vegeta's back.

Goku tried to gently explain, "It's my time to go, Kami said so. He spoke to me just a little while ago. He told me that I had done a good job of protecting the earth but, now my job was done. Now it's time for some much needed rest," Goku started to chuckle slightly. "And boy do I need it!"

Vegeta looked up and even though his face was covered in tears, one corner of his mouth turned up in the beginning of a smile.

"Besides," said Goku, "Chi-Chi's waiting for me and you know what happens when I keep her waiting. Oh, Man!" Vegeta's smile grew a little bigger at the thought. 'That woman could definitely try a man's soul on occasion,' he thought. "I can't wait to see her again," mused Goku, "I thought she was the prettiest thing I had ever seen from the moment I saw her. Wow! I mean, wouldn't you be in a hurry if you were in my place and Bulma was waiting for you?"

"'In a hurry' would be a relative term in my case, but I see your point." sniped Vegeta.

"Vegeta, I know you better than that," chided Goku.

"Your right," he admitted, "That woman drives me insane sometimes but I must admit I do love her." He sighed and began to wipe his face. "If this is what is to be, then so be it. You had better enjoy yourself while you can, because when I get there, you won't get a moments peace. I can promise you that."

"I'll hold you to that promise too," laughed Goku. "Gee, I wonder what's for lunch? I didn't seem to have the energy to eat breakfast this morning, but suddenly I'm starving."

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**Vegeta's first tears of grief were many years ago on Namek as he poured out his heart to Goku about the loss of his people, now they are for Goku himself and the loss of his best friend. I hope this feels right to you all and I didn't get to far ooc. Thanks for the reviews. **


	7. Chapter 7

**Well, Vegeta seems to have made it through alright. Despite his moment of weakness at the thought of losing the only person left who truly understands him deep down and the only other living full blood Saiyan left, he is now in command again and he is about to utter a word he swore he would never say! **

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**7**

Vegeta came down stairs like a man who had just had the weight of the world lifted off of his shoulders. His eyes were still slightly red, but there was a certain sense of peace in them. He stopped at the bottom of the stairs and stood there with his arms crossed. He stared, with one eyebrow slightly raised, at the whole group, scanning from one side of the room to the other.

"Well, what have all of you been doing down here this whole time?" asked Vegeta. "I don't suppose you've prepared any food have you?" They all stared at him in silence, unsure of what to say. Then he announced, "Goku is starving and so am I!" Suddenly, they all looked as if Vegeta had turned into a two-ton pink elephant in the center of the room. "Well...? What are you all waiting for?" he demanded, punctuating the sentence with a frown. Everyone got up at once and ran for the kitchen, stumbling over each other in the process. Vegeta chuckled to himself. The last time he had seen a crowd move that fast, Cell was hot on their heels.

Afterward, the kitchen was a disaster. They all had to help clean up after lunch because they had managed to spill things on the counter and the floor in their panic. Even Piccolo had managed to break a couple of plates. He was sweeping up the remains, thinking it would be a lot easier just to blast it away, but decided that the boys might not be too happy with a hole in the kitchen floor. Chiaotzu had been the cook this time. Mainly because he was the first one in the kitchen. He was an excellent cook and was turning out pots of food in record time. At one point he thought he might be making to much and said so. "We're feeding Saiyans, remember?" dead panned 18. He thought 'Good point!' and continued his pace.

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18 and Marron were bringing down the trays from upstairs. They had made two trips this time since Goku had skipped breakfast. This made Gohan feel a little better. He had been very worried this morning because it was not like his father to turn down a meal. He had only done it once in his life and that was many years ago at King Kai's. Goku had been so intent on catching Bubbles so that Kai would train him, nothing else mattered. Gohan had reached that level of concentration and determination the day he destroyed Cell and he knew it was a very rare and awesome feeling to want to achieve something that much. He knew in his heart that these moments might only come once in a man's life and his father had taught him that he should always be ready and willing to go beyond his own limitations. He also knew that any limits he had were set by himself and sometimes he was a little angry at himself for not pushing past them when it was necessary. He promised himself that he would re-enforce that particular lesson with his daughter and his grandchild, as well as with himself.

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**Gohan's decision will prove later on to be an important one. After all, the torch is being passed to the next generation of warriors that will protect the Earth. Soon he will find out just how important this decision is.** **Thanks for the reviews. I love to hear what you think, good or bad, about the story. **


	8. Chapter 8

**Well it looks like it's time for final goodbyes, but before Goku leaves, he and the others will learn something very important about themselves and how their special "family" came to be.**

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**8**

As Gohan stood there thinking to himself, Bulma came downstairs. She had a calm smile on her face and had a glow about her that defied explanation. Vegeta's jaw dropped as he looked at her. The last time he remembered her looking like this was the day they were married. She had never looked so beautiful. All the feelings he had that day came rushing back to him all at once and it was nearly overwhelming.

An odd feeling had come over the rest of them too, as they all gathered around her trying to make sense of what was going on. Then she spoke; "Dende... I mean," she paused to correct herself, "Kami is here. Gohan, Goten, it's time. Your father is asking for you. He's asking for all of you to be there."

Gohan and Goten went up the stairs followed by all the others. When they entered the room, Dende was standing at the end of Goku's bed, his staff in hand. Nameks never show their true age, so even after all these years, he still looked to be about twenty. He wore a long, white, hooded robe that billowed out slightly as a warm breeze blew through the window. A warm golden glow surrounded him and he had the most gentle smile on his face. "Hello, everyone," he said sweetly as he pushed the hood back onto his shoulders. He got back a "Hi" in unison. "You all know why I am here. The time has come for Goku to take leave of this place for the last time. He has been a valiant warrior and protector of the earth his entire life. Now you must say your final words to him before we go. As I understand it, Goku has someone waiting for him and her patience is wearing a bit thin."

"That sounds exactly like mom," said Gohan rolling his eyes.

"No kidding," said Goku, "I guess we better get going." Goku got out of bed and stood next to Dende. "Well guys, I guess this is it."

They all moved toward him to say their good-byes. There were hugs and handshakes all around. Even 18 gave him a hug and whispered in his ear to give her husband a message when he got there. No one else heard it, but it made Goku blush slightly. Gohan and Goten were standing on ether side of their father and they both hugged him at the same time. Goku put his large arms around his son's shoulders and told them that he was proud of them and that no man could ask for better sons than they have been. Goku looked up and saw that Piccolo was leaning against that far wall and Vegeta had not moved from that spot where he was standing. ' Nothing new here', he thought. Nether of them were prone to public displays of emotion. But then, Piccolo moved toward him and placed his large, green hand on Goku's shoulder.

"Have a safe journey, my friend," said Piccolo quietly.

"Thanks," said Goku humbly. He knew this was a tough moment for Piccolo, so he tried to not make a big deal of it. Then, as Piccolo returned to leaning on the wall, Goku looked over at Vegeta, waiting to see what he would do. Vegeta looked up at Goku; a big, broad grin came over his face, and his eyes suddenly shone like they were on fire. Goku recognized that look on Vegeta's face. It was the same one he wore in the moments just before he left Kami's place to fight Cell. It clearly said, 'Just wait until I see you again Kakarot! When I get there, I promise to make you miserable every moment I can! Just you wait!'. Goku's face twisted into that grin he always wore when he was ready to fight. The look was definitely telling Vegeta, 'Don't worry Vegeta, I'm ready for you! Bring it on!'. This last development had Dende slightly shaken up. He didn't want these two to get started in a sparing match right now and he would like to leave this place in one piece, if you don't mind, so he interrupted their stare-down quickly.

"Before we go, I have something to share with all of you," said Dende. "I don't know when I would be seeing all of you again, so since you are all together in one place, I thought it best to do this now. I will now tell you a secret known only to me, the Kami before me and the Kaioshin. In the time before Goku's birth, the warriors that protected the earth had either died in battle or grown to old to fight any longer. Kami knew that this world couldn't go on unprotected and that he could only do so much by himself. He asked the Kaioshin for council on this. At first he was reluctant to interfere, but after much discussion, they decided to search for the strongest warriors in the universe. This took some time to arrange; because as you know, at this point, none of you had been born yet."

The room was very quiet as Dende told the story. They all looked back and forth at each other to see if anyone in the group was making sense of what he was saying, but they all seemed confused. Dende smiled slightly and continued, "The Kaioshin searched many worlds and he was nearly ready to give up until he happened on the world you call Planet Vegeta. He sensed great power there. Vegeta was the first to be selected. In the hours after your birth, many servants came and went caring for you and your mother. One of them was the Kaioshin and he placed his blessing on your forehead. His blessing left an invisible mark that only he and Kami could see, so he would know you when it was time."

Vegeta's mouth dropped open as the others stared at him. He couldn't believe what he was hearing, his fate had been decided by someone else? How could this be? Then he recovered his composure and assumed his regular crossed-armed position. He wore a smug look on his face that said, 'of coarse I was picked first, after all, I am of royal blood', completely discounting the fact that he was first only because he happened to be born first and nothing more.

"Goku was next," Dende continued, "He also received a blessing from the Kaioshin in the hours after his birth. Then the idea to send only certain infants to other planets was planted in King Vegeta's mind and that Goku would be the perfect one to send to earth. The others soon followed and there were six selected altogether. Piccolo was specially selected later because he had a link to Kami. The Kaioshin caught Piccolo's egg in mid air, just before it touched the ground and placed his blessing upon it. It was thought that he would take Kami's place when the time came. But alas, that was not to be," Dende looked directly at Piccolo. "You can be so stubborn sometimes," chided Dende. Piccolo looked away toward the ceiling and made a "humph" sound under his breath.

"Now, with seven fighters, the search was complete." said Dende. Each of you brought different skills with you and were willing to teach the others and work as a team, despite your initial conflicts. This is the reason the Kaioshin came to you with Buu, he knew he could trust you to do what was needed. However, he didn't realize the power level you would achieve once you left the confines of your home planets. He told me later that you had nearly frightened him into a coma when he saw what you were capable of!"

"When each of your children was born, he also blessed them. He knew they would continue your work," He then turned to Pan and said, "You can trust that he will be there with you when Goku's great-grandson is born too. Oops! I wasn't supposed to tell you that!" winced Dende.

Gohan and Videl looked at each other and smiled as Pan jumped up and down giggling. "A boy! It's going to be a boy!" she chirped. The rest of the group were still trying to make sense of all this new information.

"At first, I thought I should keep this information to myself. It has been so peaceful here for so long, but then I realized that if something did happen, that we might not be up to the task at hand. So, I would like each of you to tell this story to your children when they become old enough to understand," asked Dende. "Each of you must share with them all that you know about their history, so that they never forget who they are and why they were chosen. Make sure this is passed down to each generation so that they know what they are. Vegeta, tell them as much as you can about the Saiyan people and their history. Piccolo, tell them all you know about the Namekians. Gohan, Goten, tell them about your father. And the rest of you, share your life stories with them, tell them about Krillin, Son Gohan, and the Great Kamesennin. I can't stress how important this is."

They all nodded in agreement. No one had ever seen Dende this serious before. If he was making an issue of it at a time like this, it must be important. Gohan decided at that moment that it was time to put away all the excuses he had been using and go back to training as hard as he used to when he was a child. No place for self doubt and hesitation now, he had a grandson coming and if he was going to train him, he had better work hard to reach his peak and soon. He decided he would stay here with Goten and not to go back to the university. He would train with Piccolo, Vegeta, and Goten to regain what time and yes, admittedly his own laziness, had taken away. Dende had presented him with a challenge and he was ready to take it on.

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**Gohan's earlier decision turned out to be and important one after all. The torch has now been passed from father to son and he is ready to take the position as head of the Son family. Goku will leave some big boots to fill, but with his father's example to guide him and the Saiyan blood coursing through his veins, he will live up to the challenge.**

**Thanks for the reviews. I hope my explination didn't go to far afield. I think I made it fit into the timeline correctly, but I may have erred slightly since Krillin, Tien and Yamcha were younger than Vegeta, but older than Goku,then again I'm not really sure how old Tien and Choutzu are because I'm really not sure if they're really human or not, dispite the fact they are usually listed as such. Let me know if it's off enough to be annoying and how I could fix it and I'll rewrite the paragraph if need be. TIA. **


	9. Chapter 9

**Meanwhile back on King Kai's planet, things are getting just a little bit crazy.**

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**9**

"Well, what in the world is going on down there!" yelled Chi-Chi, "Eww! You'd better tell me quick little man or I'll..." Chi-Chi voice trailed off as King Kai suddenly raised his hand. A look of anticipation came over her face and she pushed up on tip-toe as if it might give her a better view of something she really couldn't see in the first place.

"I believe the time has come," said Kai, "Dende is there and they're all together with him. Must be clearing up some last minute business, I guess," He shook his head looking a bit confused, trying to keep his concentration, but it was almost nearly impossible. Chi-Chi had started ranting and raving again. She now looked like she did years ago when she and Goku were first married. Not one trace of gray hair remained, not one line or wrinkle in her face, and her temper had returned as well. She was pacing back and forth behind the Kai now, going between wringing her hands in hope of seeing her husband again and yelling about how she wished everyone would just hurry up.

"Oh, I can hardly wait to see him again," she mused, "Oh, this won't do at all." She looked down at the wrinkles in her dress and began to smooth them with her hands. Suddenly her mood changed and she began yelling, "What is taking so long down there? What does he think he's doing?" Then another mood swing, "Oh no, my hair!" she said and pulled the pins from the bun on the top of her head. She then began to fix it the way he always liked it, long and flowing over her shoulders. When she was satisfied with it she began to shout again, "If he doesn't get here soon, I'll go get him myself!"

At this point King Kai had totally lost his concentration and become so flustered that he turned around and half yelled and half pleaded, "Will you please shut up!" His antennae nearly stood strait up and his fists were clenched at his sides.

"How dare you," Chi-Chi began, "you little insect! Grrr, why I ought to..."

"You better start behaving yourself," chided Kai, "or I'll send you back to King Yemma's to wait. You can drive him crazy for a while."

"You wouldn't dare!" challenged Chi-Chi.

"Try me!" Kai challenged her back.

And so, the shouting match continued. As the threats and insults were hurled back and forth, no one noticed the event that took place back on earth. The entire earth; every tree, mountain, ocean, and every living thing was about to feel the loss of the greatest warrior it had ever known. His bond with the earth had become so close and his inner ki energy had become so immense that it nearly functioned as one entity. This bond was built slowly, each time he gathered energy for the Spirit Bomb, but now the energy flowed backward to the earth, as if he were giving back all he had taken over the years and more. In just a few short moments there would be a quiet emptiness that will be felt around the world.

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**Poor Kai! Having to put up with a raving mad woman. Has he finally run up against an opponent he can't defeat? Stay tuned and find out. Please read and review. Thankers! **


	10. Chapter 10

**Goku takes his leave now.**

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**10**

"Well, I guess this is it," said Goku cheerfully and he smiled his goofy smile. He then stuck his head out the window and watched the kids play for few moments. He was really going to miss seeing them grow up. He promised himself that he would stop by King Kai's and check on them when he could. "Bye guys!" he shouted at the children, "Be good!"

The children all stopped running and stared up at the window for a few moments. They knew what this meant and they all looked at each other unsure of what to do next. Gochi was the first to step forward, waving her little arms as hard as she could, "Bye grandpa," she shouted, "bye, we'll be good, bye!" Then they all waved and shouted, jumping up and down, "Bye grandpa, we love you, bye!" Goku waved back and smiled.

Goku pulled his head back in and looked around the room one last time. Dende reached out and took Goku's hand in his. A warm golden light began to fill the room almost as if Goku was powering up to become super Saiyan, but it was much brighter and almost more powerful. "See ya later, guys," called Goku as he waved good-bye, "bye!" Everyone watched silently as the forms of Goku and Dende faded into the ever growing light. When they no longer could be seen, the light began to fade as well, until the room was empty and silent.

Outside the silence grew. The children stood in the field and listened but, not a sound was heard. There had been a warm breeze blowing, but now the air was still and the birds stopped their song. The earth was still and quiet, not even a leaf moved. It had felt the loss of Son Goku's power and stood in silent respect for his passing. Then an amazing sight met the children's eyes. A giant white crane with a large, brilliant orange beak had taken flight from one of the trees next to the house. They all watched in awe as it circled the house once, it's giant wings beating the air but, no sound could be heard from the movement of it's wings. It then turned and flew off toward the west and the setting sun. When they no longer could see the crane, twilight was beginning to settle across the sky. A cool breeze had begun to blow and the crickets began their nightly song. The earth had begun it's cycle of living again. The children walked slowly toward the house talking quietly among themselves about what they had all seen. When they went inside, Gochi told the grown-ups what they had seen.

"Was that Grandpa Goku?" Gochi asked her father.

"Yes," replied Goten quietly, "that was Grandpa Goku."

"Awesome!" gasped Chibi Vegeta, "Can he do it again?"

"No," said Gohan gently, "I'm afraid not."

"Oh." said Chibi Vegeta sounding disappointed and then he crawled into his grandpa's lap. As Gohan watched him he thought how sweet the innocence of children can be, especially at moments like this. Chibi Vegeta had laid his head down on his grandpa's shoulder and began to suck his thumb. He was a very tired little Saiyan. Grandpa Vegeta looked down at him and watched as his grandson's eyes began to close. As he looked at that tiny face he thought, 'Don't worry boy, I won't be leaving you any time soon.'

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**Just so you all know, The orange beaked crane is a powerful symbol of good luck in Japan. The orange beak is for the color always associated with Goku and the white symbolizes his purity of heart. Just one last miracle before he goes. There is one last chapter to this story, a reunion awaits. **


	11. Chapter 11

**Well, this is the final chapter. Goku is finally home and about to be reunited with his wife.**

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**12**

"Look hear woman, my patience with you has come to an end!" screamed Kai. He was now standing on the tips of his toes, his face right in front of Chi-Chi's. In fact, he was so close to her, he nearly spat in her eye when he blurted out the word 'patience'.

"Listen buster, you had better get back over there and tell me what's going on," demanded Chi-Chi, her tone growing increasingly louder with each word, "if you know what's good for you! I want to know when my Goku will be here and I want to know now!"

Suddenly, King Kai had a stupid grin on his face and Chi-Chi was quite confused. She stared at him as if he had lost his mind. Then Kai pointed past her, toward the horizon of his little planet, and said between giggles, "Well, if you really want to know what's going on, I think you better ask him!"

Chi-Chi turned around and looked in the direction that Kai was pointing. Coming over the horizon was the silhouette of a huge man with a great mane of black hair sticking up in all directions. Chi-Chi let out a little scream as her heart nearly jumped out of her chest. "Goku!" she screamed as she went charging at him with both arms outstretched. She wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a big bear hug. Goku put his large hands around her tiny waist and spun her around, carefully this time. He remembered what happened before and didn't want to toss his wife out into space.

"Hi sweety, I've missed you," said Goku lovingly as he picked her up and held her in his arms like a child.

"Oh Goku, I've missed you too," gushed Chi-Chi as she laid her head against his broad chest. He carried her in his arms all the way back to King Kai.

"Hey King Kai," said Goku with that goofy grin on his face he always wore. "Thanks for looking after Chi-Chi until I could get here."

"No problem at all," said Kai, "It was a pleasure." 'Except for the last couple of hours' he thought. "Well, come inside the house and we'll have something to eat and then you two had better run along. King Yemma's is holding a special flight for you. Believe it or not, the Grand Kai has asked that you stay on his planet. Boy, just wait and see what he has planed for you..."

As they walked to the house and listened to Kai prattle on about the Grand Kai, Goku couldn't help thinking the day was as it should be. The day was now absolutely perfect. 'It's good to be home again' he thought. He had been away for a very long time.

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**Well, that's it. I want to thank you all for reading and reviewing my story. Sakura123 SPARTAN-062 and goem5313 thanks for the comments. Hel14, your English is great. Glad you enjoyed the story. Aizou, as always, you're the best! Until next time, Happy Writing! **


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